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Deans Dinner
This by invitation, closed session 'Deans Only' dinner on Tuesday, March 3, will feature a panel discussion with high level representatives from key funding agencies, to discuss their plans to fund grand challenge research. This will be an important avenue for deans to learn about new funding opportunities and to share their perspectives on the most promising directions to advance grand challenge research.
Location: Duke University, Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences. Transportation provided from the Marriott Hotel and Washington Duke Inn.
Federal Funding Agency Representatives
Robert C. Marlay, Ph.D., P.E., U.S. Department of Energy - Dr. Marlay is a career member of the U.S. Government's Senior Executive Service. In his present position as acting director of the Office of Climate Change Policy and Technology, Marley is responsible for formulating and managing a portfolio of activities addressing global climate change policy, programmatic and legislative analyses, technological research, develop, and deployment; greenhouse gas emission reductions, and related international cooperation.
Thomas W. Peterson, Ph.D., National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Engineering - NSF's engineering directorate provides critical support for the nation's engineering research activities and is a driving force behind the training and development of the United States engineering workforce. With a budget of approximately $640 million, the directorate supports fundamental research, the creation of cutting edge facilities and tools, broad interdisciplinary collaborations, and through its centers and Small Business Innovation Research program, enhances the competitiveness of U.S. companies.
Roderic Pettigrew, Ph.D., M.D., National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering - The NIBIB is an Institute within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) devoted to merging the physical and biological sciences to develop new technologies that improve health. Their goal is to accelerate the pace of discovery and speed the development of biomedical technologies that prevent illnesses or treat them when they do strike. The NIBIB’s mission is not limited to a single disease or group of illnesses.
David D. Skatrud, Army Research Laboratory and Army Research Office - As the Army Research Office (ARO) Director, Dr. Skatrud leads an organization of world-class scientists and engineers (including Senior Executive Service (SES) and Senior Scientist (ST) personnel) who manage an extramural research program in the life sciences, mathematical and information sciences, and physical and engineering sciences. The ARO research portfolio includes over $500 million in single investigator research (1,200 active projects), multidisciplinary research centers (over 40), and three University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs). The research is conducted mostly in universities with participation from industry and the Army laboratory community. Dr. Skatrud also oversees Army-wide programs including the Army’s Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program, and a Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minorities Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program.
Marc G. Stanley, Ph.D., National Institute of Standards and Technology, Technology Innovation Program - The TIP assists businesses and institutions of higher education or other organizations, such as national laboratories and nonprofit research institutions, to support, promote, and accelerate innovation in the United States through high-risk, high-reward research in areas of critical national need.